Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-02-04
rhe Labor Troubles.

The New York Tribune, in commenting
upon the great strike now in progress in
that city, gives few points that it would be
we'll for all workingmen 70 study. It says
"Tho coal strike is gradually working out
Of the control Of the projectors. 1t is to
their credit that hitherto little violence has
been attempted They have relied conf
IDENTITY on the strength Of their organization.
This confidence, however, is not justified by
the facts, and herein lies the fat2l failacy OF
all such undertakings. s. strike carried on
ie2itimately-that is to say, without coercion
and intimidation at bottom far less q
contest between employers sud employed
than one between two kinds OF labor. The
theory OF the The Knights OF Labor is that
ali shall help each: that strikes shall be
sustained by those who are still at work;
that labor generally shall be controlled in
the interest Of each separate movement Of
the kind. If the Knights Of Labor really
embraced all labor, or even two thirds Of
labor, it might be possible to enforce strikes.
But the Knights of Labor do not embrace
any such proportion of labor. In point of
fact they are only minority and il
follows naturally from this that the
workingmen outside of the order are at
all times numerically strong enough to frus-
trate any strike. When, therefore, o strike is
undertaken or the only basis which can rem
der it entitled to public sympathy, that is
10 sav, upon the basis OF law and order, the
strikers find themselves confronted by the
needy workmen wbo were previously with.
out employment, and from them the en-
ployers are enabled 20 obtain the help they
require. The strikers may appeal to their
fellow Knights in associated lines Of en-
ployment for help, and the latter may give
it, or rather try 10 give it, by striking in
their turn. Snch extensions of the trouble
Of course produce embarrassment, loss aud
widespread iojury. But it is the innocent
public who suffer most, and meanwhile the
superior numbers ofunorganiZed labor make
it merely question of tine for the strikers
everywhere to be supplan.ed by new men.
The right OF every citizen to earn his living
honestly is the foundation stone of ciYiliza
ton, and neither the knights Of Labor nor
anyone else can dispute that right or suc-
cessfuly attempt to restrict it. The conse.
quence is that unorGanized labor will al
ways, when The question is Of the employ
ment OF practically unskiileli labor, take adj
vantage of the opportunity made by the
strike to secure work sad 20 society i
compelled to protect its members in earning
their subsistence, Is can never De pcs
sible to prevent this substitution. The
ultimate outcome of nearly all great strikes
involving some industry essential TO the
general wel-being, is disastrous to the
strikers, because they have undertaken an
enterprise beyond their powers. It is the
privilege OF every man &c choose what he
vii! work for, and with' ~hom but no man
is entitled to dictate what another shall
work for, and with whom. When, therefore,
men exercise their right il refusing TO work,
they ought TO understand that plenty of
other men are probably willing and eager to
take mp what they themselves have thrown
down, aud that since this is The case, it is
not possible for them 10 enforce their de-
mands In the case the coal handlers this
IS what is coming TO pass already, and even
were it possible for them TO so extend the
strike thatfor q time no coal could enter New
York, the only effect beyond causing suf-
fering to the poor would 30 to hasten the
substitution of new labor Tor that which had
struck. The bottom fact in the whole ques-
tion is in short the existence ofa practically
unlimited supply Of unorganized labor.
That, and not capital, is the insurmountable
barrier in the way Of the Knights Of Labor.
The majority is not with them, and this fact
must determine Ill their strikes sooner or
later. Realization of the truth would save
them much expense and disappointment.